The cannelé bordelais is a capricious pastry. Its success depends almost entirely on a precise duo of time and temperature: a well-caramelised, almost lacquered outer crust that contrasts with a soft and slightly damp interior. With a copper mould, professionals achieve this result thanks to exceptional thermal conductivity. With a silicone mould, the material reacts differently to heat, and adjustments are necessary. This guide gives you the exact baking times, the temperatures to follow according to the size of your moulds, a summary table so you don’t forget anything, and all the tips for obtaining well-browned cannelés even with a silicone mould.
Ideal baking time for cannelés in silicone moulds
Baking cannelés is based on a fundamental principle: thermal shock. You start with a very high temperature to sear the batter, create the crust, and launch the caramelisation of the sugars. You then reduce the heat so that the interior cooks slowly, without drying out. This principle, used with copper moulds, also applies to silicone, with a few adaptations.
For a standard domestic oven, the average values to remember are as follows. The first phase is done at 220 to 250 °C for 10 to 20 minutes. It is this phase that initiates the surface caramelisation. The second phase is done at 180 °C for 40 to 60 minutes depending on the size of your mould and the power of your oven. It is during this long, gentle phase that the interior takes on its characteristic soft texture. Mastering this double baking phase is at the heart of the success of cannelés, exactly as it is for other bakery preparations where precise bread baking management and humidity determine the final quality of the product.
Baking time summary table
Use this table as a starting reference, then adjust according to your oven.
| Type of silicone mould | Temperature 1 | Duration 1 | Temperature 2 | Duration 2 | Target Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic cannelés (5.5 cm) | 220–250 °C | 10–20 min | 180 °C | 40–60 min | Well-caramelised crust, soft centre |
| Mini cannelés | 210–220 °C | 10 min | 180 °C | 30–40 min | Golden but not burnt |
| Large cannelés (over 6 cm) | 220 °C | 20 min | 180 °C | 60–80 min | Very caramelised crust |
📌 Remember: These durations are starting points. Every oven is different. The first batch is often the most useful for calibrating your own oven and adjusting by 5 to 10 minutes if necessary.
Why does baking change with a silicone mould?
Understanding why silicone behaves differently from copper allows you to adapt the baking process intelligently, rather than following durations blindly.
Copper is an excellent thermal conductor. It heats up very quickly and transfers this heat directly to the batter on contact, which generates a violent and immediate thermal shock. Result: caramelisation starts very quickly, the crust forms rapidly and uniformly over the entire surface of the cannelé. Silicone, however, conducts heat much more slowly. It acts more as a partial insulator, which slows down the temperature rise in direct contact with the batter. Caramelisation is slower, sometimes uneven, and the crust takes longer to form and darken.
This is why it is often necessary to slightly lengthen the total baking time or slightly increase the starting temperature compared to recipes intended for copper moulds. Be careful, however, not to exceed the maximum temperature indicated by the manufacturer of your mould, generally between 220 and 250 °C depending on the brand. Beyond this, the silicone can degrade and transmit undesirable compounds to your preparations.
Quick recipe: cannelés in a silicone mould
Ingredients for 12 classic cannelés
- 500 ml whole milk
- 250 g caster sugar
- 125 g flour
- 2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
- 50 g butter
- 1 vanilla pod (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)
- 3 tablespoons of dark rum (optional)
Key steps
The day before: prepare the batter and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. This rest is essential for the flour to fully hydrate and for the batter to develop the aromas necessary for the depth of flavour of the cannelé. Many failed cannelés owe their failure to batter that was used too fresh.
Baking day: take the batter out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before using it so that it returns slightly to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 230–250 °C, preferably fan-assisted. Lightly grease the cells of the silicone mould with butter: contrary to popular belief, greasing silicone is not only useful for easy release. It directly contributes to the caramelisation of the surface in contact with the mould, a result that silicone alone struggles to achieve.
Fill the cavities three-quarters full. Do not fill to the brim: the batter rises slightly at the beginning of baking before stabilising. Bake on a baking sheet or rack that is already hot, which improves heat transmission from below.
Baking: 10 to 15 minutes at 230–250 °C for the initial thermal shock, then 45 to 50 minutes at 180 °C for classic cannelés in a standard silicone mould. Do not open the oven during the first phase.
After baking: let the cannelés rest for 5 to 10 minutes in the mould before unmoulding. This resting time allows the crust to firm up slightly. Then arrange them on a rack, open side down, so that residual steam escapes without softening the base. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature.
Adjusting the baking time for your oven
The table above gives valid markers for the majority of domestic ovens, but each appliance has its specificities. Here is how to read the signals your cannelés send you to adjust without lengthy trial and error.
Signs that your cannelés are underbaked: the crust remains pale or slightly beige rather than dark brown. The cannelés collapse when taken out of the oven, a sign that the interior is not yet sufficiently cooked and structured. The texture reminds one more of a soft custard than the characteristic soft centre of a cannelé. In this case, prolong the baking by 5 to 10 minutes at 180 °C and monitor the colour.
Signs of overbaking: the crust is very dark, almost black in places, and gives off a burnt smell. The interior is too dry, without the expected softness. In this case, lower the starting temperature by 10 to 20 °C during the next batch and slightly reduce the duration of the second phase.
⚠️ Frequent mistake: opening the oven during the first phase of baking at high temperature. This action causes the temperature to drop abruptly and disrupts the formation of the crust. Always wait until the end of the first phase before opening, even briefly.
Tips for well-browned cannelés in silicone moulds
The silicone mould can produce excellent cannelés provided you follow a few rules that compensate for its lower thermal conductivity. Here are the most effective tips, tested and approved by experienced amateurs.
- Respect the minimum 24-hour rest. Cannelé batter needs this time for the gluten to relax, the flour to hydrate, and the vanilla and rum aromas to fully develop. Batter used too early gives bland and poorly structured cannelés, regardless of the quality of the mould.
- Preheat the oven to full temperature at least 20 minutes before baking. An insufficiently hot oven at the time of baking deprives the cannelés of the initial thermal shock they need. Long preheating is even more important with a silicone mould than with a copper mould.
- Place the silicone mould on a baking sheet or rack that is already hot. By placing a sheet or rack in the oven during preheating, you create a heat source from below that partially compensates for the low conductivity of silicone. Some bakers prefer a thick metal sheet that stays hot for a long time.
- Grease and lightly sugar the cavities. Greasing alone already helps with caramelisation. To go even further, some pastry chefs lightly sprinkle the buttered cavities with a small amount of brown sugar before pouring in the batter. This sugar caramelises directly in contact with the mould and accentuates the browning of the crust.
- Do not unmould too early. Let the cannelés rest for 5 to 10 minutes in the mould after taking them out of the oven. The crust, still flexible when it comes out of the oven, firms up during these minutes. Unmoulding too early risks damaging the surface and softening the base before it has had time to stabilise.
Maé Innovation silicone cannelé moulds
Choosing the right mould is often the first condition for a successful cannelé. Maé Innovation, a French manufacturer specialising since 1994 in professional silicone moulds, offers two references dedicated to cannelés within its Silmaé range: a classic mould and a mini mould, both designed for intensive use in pastry workshops.
The 40-cell classic silicone cannelé mould (91 ml)
This is the standard reference in the range, sized for classic Bordeaux cannelés. Each cell has a diameter of 5.5 cm and a height of 5 cm, with a volume of 91 ml per cavity. The 400 x 600 mm format mould accommodates 40 cavities, making it a tool particularly suited to quantity production in professional workshops.
Made in France with 100% premium food-grade silicone, it resists temperatures ranging from -45 °C to +280 °C, allowing it to go equally from the freezer to the oven without constraint. Its natural non-stick properties guarantee clean unmoulding without damaging the caramelised crust: simply turn the tray over and apply light pressure to the back of the mould to release the cannelés in one movement.
📌 Good to know: The dosing spacing of the Silmaé cannelé mould is common to many other references in the range, which facilitates the standardisation of filling with an automatic depositor in intensive artisan production.
The 60-cell mini silicone cannelé mould (28 ml)
For small formats and mignardise platters, Maé Innovation also offers a mini cannelé mould with 60 cavities, with a volume of 28 ml per cavity. This format is ideal for tea times, reception buffets, or assortments of small sweet bites. Baking is shorter (see the baking table above), and the result is just as crunchy and soft as with the classic format.
Like the entire Silmaé range, this mould is made in France in the Maé Innovation workshops, with silicone certified as compliant with food contact requirements. It is designed to withstand intensive and repeated use without loss of non-stick properties over time.
| Reference | No. of cavities | Volume / cavity | Resistance | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic cannelé mould | 40 | 91 ml | -45 °C / +280 °C | 400 x 600 mm |
| Mini cannelé mould | 60 | 28 ml | -45 °C / +280 °C | 400 x 600 mm |
Both references are available directly on the Maé Innovation online shop, with the possibility of custom orders for industrial volumes or specific formats.
Discover Silmaé cannelé moulds
100% premium silicone, made in France, resistant from -45 °C to +280 °C.
